At eleven years old, Avryl’s life was full of activity. Between drum lessons, Girl Scouts, ballet, violin lessons, piano lessons, and swimming lessons, there was no room for boredom! Little did young Avryl know that her busy life would soon take a dramatic turn.
At a routine doctor’s visit, Avryl’s doctors were alarmed by her blood work. Her white blood cell, red blood cell, and platelet levels were dangerously low. She was admitted to the ER, where she stayed for several days while doctors worked to diagnose Avryl.
After countless tests, doctors determined Avryl was dealing with Aplastic Anemia, a rare but serious blood disorder that occurs when a person’s bone marrow can’t create enough new blood cells and platelets. If left untreated, it can be life-threatening.
Avryl would need a bone marrow transplant, which meant the family would need to find a matching donor. Luck smiled upon the family when they found out Avryl’s brother Ryley was a perfect match.
Preparation for the bone marrow transplant was intense. Avryl spent weeks living in a hospital room, undergoing various treatments to make sure her body would accept the transplant. She decorated her space to make it feel a little more like home.
After the successful bone marrow transplant, Avryl had to focus on recovery. The chemotherapy and total body radiation she had undergone left her nauseous. Soon Avryl noticed her hair was starting to fall out when she brushed it. She lost large clumps when she showered. Around Thanksgiving, she decided to shave it all off.
Just before Christmas, Avryl was finally allowed to leave the hospital and move back home. But even after being discharged, she had to remain very careful around others. With a weakened immune system, Avryl had to avoid germs at all costs, which meant she couldn’t accept hugs or touch from her family and friends. “I was scared and sad, and they couldn’t comfort me with anything but words.”
Avryl spent the next few months at home, away from friends for fear of infection. She was homeschooled until May, when doctors finally allowed her to return to school. Avryl’s classmates were overjoyed to see her, and she was happy to start to find her “new normal.”
Avryl’s hair was starting to grow back, but she didn’t feel confident showing it in public. Her mother shares, “Avryl loved her long hair, and losing it was heartbreaking. Finding the right wig felt like a real-life Goldilocks story, where nothing seemed to fit just right. But then Wigs For Kids came through in the most incredible way.”
Avryl and her family applied to the Wigs For Kids Recipient Program, where children experiencing medical hair loss are provided hand-tied hairpieces made from donated hair at no cost to the family. Wigs For Kids is able to provide these hairpieces free of charge to recipient families thanks to generous hair and financial donors.
Avryl worked with Certified Service Provider Melissa Harvey of Artistry of Techniques in New York. The first appointment centered around taking measurements for the hairpiece, to ensure a comfortable fit that would stay in place even during an epic drum solo. After selections were made for cap size, length, and color, Avryl’s hairpiece went into creation.
Once Avryl’s hairpiece was ready, the family returned to Melissa’s salon for styling. They also learned how to care for her hairpiece with products provided by Wigs For Kids!
Now Avryl has the tools she needs to live her life in confidence, without worrying about how others perceive her. She is excited to participate in all sorts of activities again, and just a few weeks ago, Avryl was a model in Vibe Salon’s 2nd Annual Wigs For Kids Fundraiser, receiving a standing ovation!
Avryl herself said, “I am so happy and grateful for my life now and I plan to spend every minute of it in that mood. I cannot express how thankful I am and cannot wait to see what life has in store for me in the future.”
We can’t wait either!
If you are a stylist interested in helping our children, please click here for more information.
If you are interested in donating your hair, please click here for more information.
For recipient stories, please click here.
For more ways to support Wigs For Kids, please click here.
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